How to lift a credit freeze before you apply for a mortgage

What does a credit freeze do?

A credit freeze (also called a security freeze) locks your credit report at a credit bureau. While it is on, new lenders cannot see that report. That stops an identity thief from opening a new card or loan in your name. It also stops you, until you lift it.

"While a credit freeze is in place, nobody can open a new credit account in your name, including you."

Federal Trade Commission, Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts

A freeze does not change your score. Your current lenders can still see your report to manage your accounts. And you can still check your own reports for free at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Un-freezing your credit report: how do you lift it at each bureau?

Keep in mind that when you buy a home or refinance, you will need to un-freeze your reports. When a mortgage lender pulls your credit and finds a freeze, it cannot see that report. You then have to contact that bureau yourself. Each bureau has its own steps, so check each one.

Here are the three credit bureaus where you may have a freeze:

TransUnion

You can lift your freeze at TransUnion online, by phone at (800) 916-8800, or by mail. Online and phone requests are the fastest. Sign in to your TransUnion account, find the freeze, and pick a temporary lift with an end date or a full removal.

Experian

You can lift your freeze at Experian online or by phone at (888) 397-3742. You will need to confirm who you are. Experian no longer requires a freeze PIN.

Equifax

You can lift your freeze at Equifax online or by phone at (888) 298-0045. Online, you manage the freeze from your myEquifax account. Pick a date range for a temporary lift, or remove the freeze.

How long does it take to lift a credit freeze?

Federal law sets the clock. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (the federal law on credit reports, at 15 U.S.C. 1681c-1) says a bureau must lift or remove a freeze for free, on this timeline:

Those are the outside limits. Online lifts often take effect in minutes. Mail is the slow lane, so skip it when you have a home under contract.

Do you need to lift all three bureaus for a mortgage?

Usually, yes. Most mortgage lenders order one combined report that pulls from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion at once. They then use the middle of your three scores (see how mortgage lenders read your FICO scores). If one bureau is frozen, that part of the report comes back blank. Your loan officer then has to wait while you lift it and pull again.

If you only froze one or two bureaus, you only need to lift those. If you are not sure which bureaus you froze, check each bureau's site or ask your loan officer. A lifted freeze leaves your file open to new accounts until it ends, so choose an end date that fits your timeline.

Should you lift the freeze for a while or remove it?

For a home loan, a temporary lift is usually the better pick. You choose the end date, and the freeze comes back on by itself. You stay protected after closing without having to remember a thing.

When should you lift your freeze in the mortgage process?

A lender may check your credit more than once. The first pull comes when you apply or get preapproved. Many lenders check again shortly before closing to see if you opened new debt. Your credit report also has a shelf life. For loans sold to Fannie Mae, the report generally can be no more than four months old on the date you sign your loan (see the Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B1-1-03). A long escrow (the wait between your signed contract and closing) can mean a new pull.

So set the lift to cover the whole loan, not just the first day. A simple plan: start the lift a day or two before you apply, and end it about a week after your planned closing date. If closing moves, extend the lift.

Credit freeze lift planner

Pick the bureaus you froze and enter your dates. The planner tells you when to request the lift and what end date to set. This planner runs in your browser. We do not collect or store the dates you enter. It is a planning aid, not a promise of when any lender will pull your credit or approve a loan.

What is the difference between a freeze, a lock and a fraud alert?

All three help guard your credit, but they work in different ways. Only a freeze has the federal 1-hour lift rule.

An initial fraud alert lasts one year. An extended alert for identity theft victims lasts seven years, according to the FTC.

What if you lost your freeze PIN or password?

You can still lift the freeze. Each bureau will check who you are another way, often with questions about your credit history or a copy of your ID. Online accounts make this easier. If you get stuck, call the bureau's number in the table above. Plan an extra day or two for this, and do not wait until the week of closing.

Should you freeze your credit again after closing?

If you used a temporary lift, the freeze returns on its own on the end date. If you removed it, you can place a new one for free once your loan has funded. Ask your loan officer before you refreeze, in case anything still needs a final check.

More reading before you apply: what a 710 FICO score opens, the four Cs of credit, what debt-to-income means, how a mortgage application works in Las Vegas and find a loan officer.